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Women's History Month

How One Woman Excelled in Athletics, Journalism, Venture Capital—and Aviation

Aviation executive Bonny Simi describes her fascinating journey as an airline pilot, Olympic athlete, TV reporter, venture capitalist, and executive at Joby Aviation.

Thom Patterson
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Key Takeaways:

  • Bonny Simi built an extraordinary career, excelling in four diverse fields: Olympic athletics, TV journalism, venture capital, and aviation, overcoming significant barriers for women in each.
  • Her passion for aviation was ignited in childhood and nurtured by mentors who encouraged her entry into flying and supported her path to becoming a commercial pilot and CFI.
  • Now at Joby Aviation, Simi is dedicated to making aviation careers more accessible and diverse, establishing a flight school to provide a clear, financially viable pathway for future eVTOL pilots.
  • Simi believes electric propulsion will revolutionize aviation, offering pilots a better work-life balance with local routes and no long layovers, while also addressing environmental concerns.
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Editor’s Note: This article is part of a month-long series to mark Women’s History Month: March 1: Pioneers of Women’s Aviation | March 2: Carole Hopson | March 4: Martha King | March 8: Association for Women in Aviation Maintenance | March 11: The Air Race Classic | March 15: Sisters of the Skies | March 18: Women in Aviation Conference | March 22: Bonny Simi of Joby Aviation | March 29: The first Graduating Class of Air Force Female Pilots | March 31: Top Female Difference Makers in Aviation

At first, the career path of Joby Aviation executive Bonny Simi may be hard to wrap your head around.

Thom Patterson

Thom is a former senior editor for FLYING. Previously, his freelance reporting appeared in aviation industry magazines. Thom also spent three decades as a TV and digital journalist at CNN’s bureaus in Washington and Atlanta, eventually specializing in aviation. He has reported from air shows in Oshkosh, Farnborough and Paris. Follow Thom on Twitter @thompatterson.

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